Bound
by Hououza
Summary: Set in a post 3I world. Shinji and Asuka find that even after years apart they are still bound. SxA.


**Bound**

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion or any of the characters they are the property of their respective creators. Please be aware that no profit is being made from this work of fan fiction.

I woke with a start, shocked to find myself centimetres from Asuka's sleeping face. Trying to remain calm, I began to take stock of my situation, quickly realising that both she and I were naked. Shocked by this discovery, my resolve faltered slightly. I tried to pull away, only to find I was unable to do so. Further investigation revealed the presence of a series of thick, metal chains, entwined about our bodies, holding us in place.

Realising that there could be no escape, and I could do little more than wait for her to awake, I began to take in our surroundings. Rather than the familiar surroundings of my hotel room, the dull white walls of what looked very much like a meat locker greeted me. Dull metal hooks were suspended from the ceiling and one in my field of vision had the carcass of an unknown animal hanging from it.

The next question that entered my mind was how we had come to be in such a place, my last memory was of going to bed the night before, alone…my train of thought was disturbed however when Asuka stirred slightly beneath me before opening her eyes, her oh so familiar blue orbs looking into my own, narrowing for a moment before a spark of recognition flared and she spoke my name, softly.

"Shinji?"

I nodded, not trusting my voice, waiting for the moment when she realised our situation, both where we were and the position we were in. After no more than a couple of moments her eyes widened slightly before she began to struggle uncontrollably.

"Get the hell off me you idiot!"

I couldn't help but grin, after all these years she still hasn't changed; she still resorts to calling me an idiot at the drop of a hat. Her struggles began to lessen slightly as she realised she was not getting any further away. I quickly wiped the grin off my face, not wanting to make the situation any worse than it already was. She calmed down a little more before finally deciding to speak to me, although her words were still spoken in rather harsh tones.

"Ok, what the hell is going on here Shinji?"

"Not a clue, I woke up like this. I know about as much as you do."

She eyed me suspiciously.

"And why should I believe you Third?"

I felt my jaw tightening when she referred to me that way, it had been a long time since anyone had called me that and I had planned to keep it that way.

"How do I know this isn't just some perverted scheme of yours so you can have your way with me?"

I simply stared at her in a combination of shock and disbelief. After everything that we had been through how the hell could she say something like this?

"You're saying that I had you kidnapped, stripped naked, and chained to my naked body before arranging for us to be thrown in what appears to be, for all intents and purposes, a meat locker, just so I could have sex with you? You haven't changed Asuka, you still think the world revolves around you."

This time it was her turn to stare open mouthed. Last time she saw me I wouldn't have dared speak to her that way. But in the years since then a lot have things have changed…when it seemed a few minutes had passed and her expression was yet to change I started to get annoyed.

"Dammit Asuka! So I grew a spine! Big deal! Stop gaping and help me figure out what the hell is happening!"

"What, indeed."

The voice came out of no where, catching me off guard. Fervently searching for the source of the sound I craned my neck around, eventually catching a glimpse of what looked like a single speaker with a small camera perched on top. The small red light glowing, signalling the camera was on.

"I'm so glad to see that you are both awake, it makes things so much easier this way…I do so hate having to explain things more than once."

"You bastard! Let us out of here!"

"Now, now miss Soryu, please calm down. You should be conserving your strength, you'll be needing it very soon."

"What are you planning to do?"

"Ah, Mr. Ikari, glad to see you are able to keep a clear head, just like your father. Since you asked so nicely I might just tell you…I am sure by now that you are both aware that this is a meat locker, but what you do not know is that it is refrigerated. As soon as we finish this little conversation the temperature of the room will begin to fall until it reaches a temperature of forty degrees below zero. Death will be extremely slow as the cells in your body die due to the extreme cold."

"You sick bastard! Why in the hells are you doing this to us!"

"Because Miss Soryu, your boyfriend there robbed both myself and my colleagues…no, all of humanity something that we have been striving to achieve for countless centuries. Thirty years it took us to gather the resources necessary to bring our plans to fruition, all ruined in a single moment by one man. Having discussed the mater we decided that this would be a most appropriate way of demonstrating our displeasure, you will die with the man who quite literally gave up the world for you. If you are lucky you might be able to stay alive a little bit longer, if you can figure out a way to keep warm that is…"

"You sicko! I swear, when I get out of here…"

"I'm afraid not miss Soryu, there will be no one to save you this time. No one knows that you are here and by the time they find you, you will be nothing more than a pair of frozen corpses. Goodbye Miss Soryu. Oh, and Mr Ikari, please say hello to our parents for us when you reach the afterlife."

With that the voice cut off abruptly even as the small red light faded, signalling the connection had been cut. Almost instantly the room began to grow colder, Asuka renewed her struggles but as before it proved to be in vain.

"Stop it Asuka, you're just wasting energy. It's going to get real cold in here really soon. You're body is going to need every ounce of energy it can get just to keep you warm."

She turned her gaze upon me, fire in her eyes and venom in her words.

"So, now I'm expected to take orders from the great Shinji Ikari? Who died and made you Commander?"

Her comment hit a nerve and I found myself itching to respond. Realising that it would only make the situation worse I bit my tongue. Unfortunately, this only seemed to enrage her more yet she remained silent, grudgingly taking my advice. Time passed and the room grew progressively colder. The man's words came back to haunt me as I began to realise that soon it would be cold for that to be an option…not knowing how to broach the topic I called her name softly while desperately trying to figure out what to say next.

"Asuka?"

She looked up at me again and much to my relief I noticed that much of her anger had dissipated.

"What is it Shinji?"

She seemed a little drowsy; something that immediately had me seriously worried. There was no other way now, we had to keep warm…

"Asuka, listen to me. We have to keep warm, do you understand? There's only one way to keep us alive and that means having sex with you…"

"See? I told you were just trying to get in my panties…pervert."

The fact she wasn't getting mad, even the slightest bit angry, terrified me. There could be no more hesitation; it had got to be now…

"I'm sorry."

I covered her lips with my own, a wave of desire flooding through me. Fire pooled in my loins, enough for me to rise to the occasion before claiming her utterly in a single stroke. Se let out a muffled cry into my mouth and to my horror I realised that she had been a virgin. Having heard many times of the pain that a woman would go through the first time she had sex, I hesitated slightly, unsure of whether to continue until the cold reasserted itself and I knew I had no choice but to go on.

At first I moved with a gentle rhythm, trying to ease the heat back into her body. As I felt her warmth beneath me, her hips began to move with each stroke, rising to meet me. My control slipped and my tempo became more urgent, erratic, reflecting the years of pent up desire and sexual frustration. She matched me, blow for blow until we both reached the summit and toppled over the edge. She convulsed beneath me even as I emptied myself inside her, the warmth that now filled our bodies keeping us alive.

"That hurt Shinji, I would have thought you of all people would have been more gentle with me."

"Considering it was my first time and I didn't even know you were still a virgin I think I did pretty well."

"And why the hell wouldn't I be, third? What other boy could possibly live up to my invincible Shinji?"

"I…uh…"

"She smiled at me, the first time in so long I had seen a genuine smile on her face.

"Just, try and make it up to me next time, ok?"

"Ok."

That would prove to be no more than a few minutes later when a wave of chill washed over us and the heat in our bodies was beginning to fade. This time we held and even pace, the point where we both went over all the greater this time. We lay there for a few moments in silence, bathed in the afterglow of what we had done. All around us the room was growing ever colder, even our lovemaking would not keep us alive a lot longer.

"Shinji?"

Her voice brought me back from my thoughts once again, the softness of her tone surprising me.

"What is it Asuka?"

"Why did you leave?"

Of all the things she could have asked, that was the one I had dreaded the most and wanted to answer the least. It had been difficult, making the decision to leave, but it was one I had to make. After what had happened, the nightmare of third impact and the choice I had been forced to make I had needed some time, alone. I had seen the one person I truly loved die, only to bring her back by my own will at the cost of the future of the whole of humanity and the loss of millions of lives. How could I ever possibly tell her the truth of what I had done? That I had robbed the world of it's future because of one woman…I was truly my father's son.

"Do you love me?"

She looked at me confused, silently asking why I was avoiding her question.

"Do you love me Asuka?"

"Yes."

"Then that was why, at the time I felt that I had no right to be loved."

"And now?"

"Now?…Now I have a lot to make up for…"

She caught my gaze then, looking at me with open affection in her eyes.

"Make love to me Shinji, just once."

And so I did, our bodies coming together one final time, without lust or desire this was a union of love alone, a physical expression of our feelings for one another. When it last it was over I fell into a deep slumber, believing I would never wake again.

When I next opened my eyes it was to the now familiar ceiling of a hospital room. Shocked that I was still alive I tried to sit up immediately only to find myself restrained by a weight on my chest. Looking down I found Asuka sleeping peacefully against my bare chest. We were alive and together and now I finally had the courage to do what I had come back to this place for. I shook her gently, stirring her from her rest. She looked up at me with sleepy eyes, silently questioning why I woke her up.

"Marry me."

And so it is that I am sitting here now, after the birth of our first child. Our infant daughter is held securely in her arms even as our hands are entwined. Our fingers merged together, linking two rings of purest gold. Two bands that form the symbol for eternity, the proof to the world that we are forever bound.

_AN: Another new one shot and the first release that has been re-read besides forgotten. Please give a round of a applause to That Other Guy for his helping bringing a better story to you._

_Till next time,_

_Hououza_

_Chapter preread by That Other Guy_


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